Re: ANCESTRY QUESTION?

Carl J Lydick (carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU)
18 Jan 1995 03:28:40 GMT

In article <3fe9e6$ha6@ns.sunbelt.net>, decker@spt.tec.sc.us writes:
=How can we possibly have more ancestors in a coexisting generation than
=the total known population of the earth?
=
=I know for a fact that I have a mother and a father who each has a mother
=and a father, etc... The direct ancestral chart would look like so:
=Generation Population
=1 2 (Mother and father)
=2 4 (grandparents)
=3 8 (greatgrandparents)....
=20 1,048,576
=30 1,073,741,841
=Going backwards it does not take too long to run into a problem.
=
=What am I missing? Please email your response to me. Thanks

That, for example, one of your great-great grandmothers on your mother's side
could also have been one of your great-great grandmothers on your father's
side.
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Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer: Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS. That's what I get paid for. My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below). So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it. If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.